Wipers just stopped working help please

[martinmonty]

Hi I am in Spain at this moment my van is a fiat ducato 3 litre mulitijet been static for a few months wipers we're working but just suddenly stopped working check the fuse it's OK any ideas martin

 

[Landy Andy]

Next step is to check if you have live to motor, or switch.

Does the washer motor work?

 

[jockaneezer]

Has the linkage below the windscreen come adrift ?

 

[gus-lopez]

earth wire fault ?

 

[Allanm]

Wipers stuck to windscreen?

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[martinmonty]

Hi washer working linkage ok would hear it?? Earth wire don't know but the washer is working wiper blades ok martin

 

[martinmonty]

Hi would you no we're the Earth wire to the wiper motor be thank you

 

[Allanm]

Don’t know what year your Ducato is, but many earlier ones suffer from rusty body earth points, and it’s likely your wiper earth goes straight to the body at one of these points. If you can trace the main body earth points, unbolt them, clean them up and refix. It probably needs doing anyway and will save problems in the future.

 

[Carolyn and Kev]

When you switch the wipers on together with the head lights ...do the lights dip suddenly? If so..it is the motor.. and its trying to turn but cannot because of the arms connecting and the drag effect required to operate the wipers ! Half the time the wiper motor is forgotten as regards maintenance. Remove the wiper arms (13mm spanner) off the motor at the window screen . Switch on the wipers with ignition on. if the motor now turns.. its because the motor is sensing too much drag across the screen with the blades attached. Therefore..check linkage for seizure or its indicating a brush or motor fault. If the motor still does not activate..check wiring and then motor. It's possible the motor is failing regardless.

 

[DaveandJen]

The best answers have already been posted but if still no joy it’s worth lifting the wipers off the screen and turning the wiper switch on and helping the wipers move by your hand without the resistance of the wipers on the screen and if some life can be found in the wiper motor spray all linkages with something like WD40.

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[gus-lopez]

to check whether it is the earth waire just turn wipers on then get a length of wire put one end on the battery earth & the other end on to the metal part of the wiper motor body.If it goes it is the earth & until you locate it just fit another temporary one.

Hi would you no we're the Earth wire to the wiper motor be thank you

 

[tonyidle]

Check the multi-plug where the wiring attaches to the motor. Unplug it then put it back. If your van is an A class the wiring will be extended - check it is all intact.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Lots of sensible replies....hope you get it sorted....

 

[Podney]

Head for Morocco,it hardly ever rains there

 

[Riverbankannie]

I think the OP was saying in post #7 that it was indeed the earth wire and thanks to those who posted.

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[Bognor Saint]

I thought he was asking where the earth wire was.

 

[martinmonty]

Thank you all for your help I will try all the above it's the first time I had to use the wiper in 8 months were working for a few hours just stopped my van is 9 years old thank you all martin

 

[dixieland]

Had a similar problem with my 8 year old van last year. I had a new motor sent over from UK (with the short arm ready attached. I did the job myself and it was not too difficult. I did not source the motor in France as I feared it is (handed). Good luck. Jim

 

[peterc10]

What van is it? A class or C class?

 

[martinmonty]

Hi all c class I have the wiper motor exposed all look good all the garages here are closed I will continue on to Olite in Spain hopefully it doesn't rain if will have to pull over weather forecast looks good but cloudy thanks for your reply martin

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[peterc10]

Hi all c class I have the wiper motor exposed all look good all the garages here are closed I will continue on to Olite in Spain hopefully it doesn't rain if will have to pull over weather forecast looks good but cloudy thanks for your reply martin

I only ask what class because if it was an A class the main controller would have been put in by the converter rather than Fiat. My A class Hymer's wipers went wrong last year and the dealer reckoned problem was much more likely to be the converter's controller than the Fiat motor, and he was right.

 

[Squirepete]

I had the same problem three years ago (09 plate Ducato 100) near Le Manns. Local Renault garage tried to find fault then refereed me to local Fiat garage, who could not find fault. Ordered new motor and arranged to bring in next day. Next day arrived garage folk seemed to avoid us. Asked if the motor had arrived to be told "yes, bring it back tomorrow"! We drove off! Up to Calais in heavy showers. Then north in heavy showers Dover-North Yorkshire driving by memory and in the dark! Bought motor from main dealer at home had it fitted by local MH garage. Told me "its the first time he had known the Ducato motor fail". I reckon the garage in France realised their RHD motor would not fit LHD.

 

[tinks703]

Hi, operating windscreen wipers in an emergency. Coming up the M1 some years ago lashing down. Pulled into services. Could not get them to work (this is before breakdown companies. So I fitted string to each wiper blade and through each side window and connected them to a spanner which I could hold comfortably.
Talk about fiddlers elbow but it worked. I drove 100miles doing this.
At least using this method would get you a garage or where breakdown services could get to you